This study aimed to evaluate whether cheese whey associated with transitional milk or not, could serve as a suitable alternative to whole milk for calf rearing. For this, twenty-four male calves of crossbred Holstein-Zebu, were distributed in a completely randomized design with three treatments (8 calves per treatment) and fed for 60 days with one of the following liquid diets: i) 100% whole milk, ii) 50% whole milk and 50% cheese whey, and iii) 30% transitional milk and 70% cheese whey. There was no difference in food intake between treatments. The analysis showed that whole milk replacement did not alter the stomach weight or the ruminal cell proliferation when compared to treatment using 100% whole milk; however, the transitional milk/cheese whey group showed larger ruminal papillae. These results suggested that a transitional milk-cheese whey diet associated with solid food and proper nutrient complements might enhance the post-natal development of rumen papillae in calves, which might contribute to prepare them for weaning.